Hazrath Asma (RA)
will, for ever remain a role model for all striving women of lesser economic
ranks.

The winning of the Nobel Prize
by Muhammad Yunus of Bangladesh is indeed a significant moment for our
community. This event also gives us a chance to appreciate the rural peasant
women of Bangladesh, essentially Muslims, of poor socio-economic status who have
endeavoured to improve the lives of their families.

The
striving of Hazrath Asma binte Abubakar (RA), bears resemblance to the lives of
these Bangladeshi women. Upon migrating to Madinah, like many other immigrants,
Hazrath Asma’s family was thoroughly impoverished. She used to work essentially
as an agricultural labourer in a farm land allotted to her family for a living.
She raised her children too. The upbringing of her children by itself is so
exemplary that one of them, Hazrath Abdullah bin Zubair (RA) grew up to become a
potential candidate for Khilafath. In the evening of her life, Hazrath Asma
became visually challenged, but yet remained a leading light for her grown-up
sons. The sons too, on their part, remained most obedient to the mother, a
reward which every mother would be delighted with. Hazrath Asma will, for ever
remain a role model for all striving women of lesser economic ranks.

During the
days of her struggle, Hazrath Asma and her family were under the benevolent
guidance of the Prophet of Allah (Pbuh) himself. It is reported in one Hadith
that once the Prophet passed by Hazrath Asma returning from her farm, with a
head load of farm produce. Upon seeing her, the Prophet stopped his camel and
offered to give her a lift. That she did not accept the offer is another matter,
but this incidence signifies that her venture as a working woman had the tacit
support and encouragement by the Prophet himself. We hope, the present day
religious leaders, especially of the Indian sub-continent, follow this example
and support such women folk of our community who are struggling to bring about
an economic improvement in their lives. Instead, the Fatwa-happy scholars should
not incapacitate these women by insisting they wrap themselves up from tip to
toe in a cloak, not even permitting them to see with both their eyes when
outside their homes; as one English translation of Quran by Mohsin Khan,
published from Saudi Arabia, while translating the verse 59 of Surah Al Ahzab on
the subject of “veil” mentions in parenthesis “(i.e. screen themselves
completely except the eyes or one eye to see the way)”.